Detection of Rickettsia-Infected Argas (Persicargas) giganteus on Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) from the Northeastern USA.

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), piscivorous raptors with extensive global distributions, can undergo extensive migrations. Migratory species can transport ectoparasites, including ticks, to new regions. Many soft ticks (Argasidae) are ornithophilic and occur in bird nests, occasionally causing nest abandonment and chick mortality through pathogen transmission, blood loss, or paralysis.

Duplex PCR assay to determine sex and mating status of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae), vector of the Lyme disease pathogen.

Ticks are a major health threat to humans and other animals, through direct damage, toxicoses, and transmission of pathogens. An estimated half a million people are treated annually in the United States for Lyme disease, a disease caused by the bite of a black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821) infected with the bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. This tick species also transmits another 6 human-disease causing pathogens, for which vaccines are currently unavailable.

Multiple Introductions of the Asian Longhorned Tick () to the United States Revealed Using Mitogenomics.

The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), , is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States.

Multi-season survey of ixodid tick species collected from domestic dogs in Chad, Africa.

Ticks are medically important vectors of pathogens, many of which are zoonotic or impact domestic animal and/or wildlife health. Climate change, landuse modifications, and increasing interactions between domestic animals, wildlife, and humans have resulted in changes in tick-host dynamics and the emergence of novel pathogens worldwide. Therefore, describing the host and geographic ranges of vector species is essential in assessing disease risk, especially in understudied areas, and should be conducted in a One Health context.

Otterly diverse - A high diversity of species (Spirurida: Dracunculoidea) in North American river otters ().

The genus contains numerous species of subcutaneous parasites of mammals and reptiles. In North America, there are at least three mammal-infecting species of . Reports of infections have been reported from river otters () since the early 1900s; however, little is known about the species infecting otters or their ecology.

Immobilization of Raccoons (Procyon lotor) with Nalbuphine, Medetomidine, and Azaperone.

Chemical immobilization is widely used by wildlife and veterinary professionals for the safe handling of animals. A combination of nalbuphine (40 mg/mL), azaperone (10 mg/mL), and medetomidine (10 mg/mL), known as NAM, is a low-volume combination with field immobilization practicality and fewer regulations restricting its use in the US than some other drug combinations. We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of NAM as an immobilizing agent for raccoons (Procyon lotor).

Phylogeography of the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) throughout the USA identifies candidate loci for differences in vectorial capacity.

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis (Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1821, 2, 59)) is a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) (International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 1984, 34, 496), the causative bacterial agent of Lyme disease, part of a slow-moving epidemic of Lyme borreliosis spreading across the northern hemisphere.

The wild life of ticks: Using passive surveillance to determine the distribution and wildlife host range of ticks and the exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis, 2010-2021.

Background: We conducted a large-scale, passive regional survey of ticks associated with wildlife of the eastern United States. Our primary goals were to better assess the current geographical distribution of exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis and to identify potential wild mammalian and avian host species. However, this large-scale survey also provided valuable information regarding the distribution and host associations for many other important tick species that utilize wildlife as hosts.

A survey of piroplasms in white-tailed deer () in the southeastern United States to determine their possible role as hosts.

In 2017, clinical disease and mortality in cattle associated with Ikeda was reported in Virginia, U.S. The exotic tick, is a competent vector for this species.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Domestic Animals, Wild Pigs, and Off-Host Environmental Sampling in Guam, USA.

Guam, a United States of America (USA) island territory in the Pacific Ocean, is known to have large populations of ticks; however, it is unclear what the risk is to wildlife and humans living on the island. Dog (), cat (), and wild pig () sentinels were examined for ticks, and environmental sampling was conducted to determine the ticks present in Guam and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in hosts. From March 2019-November 2020, ticks were collected from environmental sampling, dogs, cats, and wild pigs.

Surveillance for diseases, pathogens, and toxicants of muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in Pennsylvania and surrounding regions.

Using diagnostic data and contemporary sampling efforts, we conducted surveillance for a diversity of pathogens, toxicants, and diseases of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus). Between 1977 and 2019, 26 diagnostic cases were examined from Kansas and throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, USA. We identified multiple causes of mortality in muskrats, but trauma (8/26), Tyzzer's disease (5/6), and cysticercosis (5/26) were the most common.

A multi-seasonal study investigating the phenology, host and habitat associations, and pathogens of Haemaphysalis longicornis in Virginia, U.S.A.

Understanding the abiotic and biotic variables affecting tick populations is essential for studying the biology and health risks associated with vector species. We conducted a study on the phenology of exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick) at a site in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States. We also assessed the importance of wildlife hosts, habitats, and microclimate variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed on this exotic tick's presence and abundance.

Copepod consumption by amphibians and fish with implications for transmission of species.

Parasitic nematodes in the genus have a complex life cycle that requires more than one host species in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The most well-studied species, , is the causative agent of human Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis). There are several other species that infect non-human animals, primarily wildlife (reptiles and mammals).

Susceptibility of anurans, lizards, and fish to infection with Dracunculus species larvae and implications for their roles as paratenic hosts.

Dracunculus spp. are parasitic nematodes that infect numerous species of mammals and reptiles. The life cycles of Dracunculus species are complex, and unknowns remain regarding the role of paratenic and transport hosts in transmission to definitive hosts.

Dracunculus Species in Meso-mammals from Georgia, United States, and Implications for the Guinea Worm Eradication Program in Chad, Africa.

The prevalence and diversity of parasitic nematodes in wildlife have been well studied for certain species, yet for others considerable gaps in knowledge exist. The parasitic nematode Dracunculus insignis infects North American wildlife, and past research on this species has led to an increased understanding of the potential host diversity and transmission of the closely related human Guinea worm, Dracunculus medinensis (which is currently the focus of a global eradication program). Many definitive hosts have been documented for D.

Theileria orientalis Ikeda in host-seeking Haemaphysalis longicornis in Virginia, U.S.A.

The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, has recently become established in the United States. In East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, the native and previously introduced ranges, this tick is a vector of an important pathogen of cattle, Theileria orientalis. In 2017, the pathogenic Ikeda genotype of T.

First glimpse into the origin and spread of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in the United States.

Established populations of Asian longhorned ticks (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, were first identified in the United States (US) in 2017 by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) 'barcoding' locus followed by morphological confirmation. Subsequent investigations detected ALT infestations in 12, mostly eastern, US states. To gain information on the origin and spread of US ALT, we (1) sequenced cox1 from ALT populations across 9 US states and (2) obtained cox1 sequences from potential source populations [China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga (KOT)] both by sequencing and by downloading publicly available sequences in NCBI GenBank.

Molecular Characterization of Species and a Molecular Genetic Key for the Identification of of North America.

(Acari: Ixodidae), the Asian longhorned tick, is native to East Asia, but has become established in Australia and New Zealand, and more recently in the United States. In North America, there are other native species that share similar morphological characteristics and can be difficult to identify if the specimen is damaged. The goal of this study was to develop a cost-effective and rapid molecular diagnostic assay to differentiate between exotic and native species to aid in ongoing surveillance of within the United States and help prevent misidentification.